US9304468B2 - Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and image formation control method - Google Patents

Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and image formation control method Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US9304468B2
US9304468B2 US14/550,908 US201414550908A US9304468B2 US 9304468 B2 US9304468 B2 US 9304468B2 US 201414550908 A US201414550908 A US 201414550908A US 9304468 B2 US9304468 B2 US 9304468B2
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
density
sheet
section
image forming
target
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
US14/550,908
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
US20150153697A1 (en
Inventor
Ken Miyazaki
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Konica Minolta Inc
Original Assignee
Konica Minolta Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Konica Minolta Inc filed Critical Konica Minolta Inc
Assigned to Konica Minolta, Inc. reassignment Konica Minolta, Inc. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MIYAZAKI, KEN
Publication of US20150153697A1 publication Critical patent/US20150153697A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US9304468B2 publication Critical patent/US9304468B2/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/55—Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
    • G03G15/553—Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job
    • G03G15/556—Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/50—Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control
    • G03G15/5062—Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control by measuring the characteristics of an image on the copy material
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
    • G03G2215/00535—Stable handling of copy medium
    • G03G2215/00717—Detection of physical properties
    • G03G2215/00738—Detection of physical properties of sheet thickness or rigidity
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
    • G03G2215/00535—Stable handling of copy medium
    • G03G2215/00717—Detection of physical properties
    • G03G2215/00751—Detection of physical properties of sheet type, e.g. OHP
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00362—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes relating to the copy medium handling
    • G03G2215/00535—Stable handling of copy medium
    • G03G2215/00717—Detection of physical properties
    • G03G2215/00755—Detection of physical properties of sheet toner density

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to appropriate control in highest density adjustment in an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and an image formation control method.
  • the image density becomes high (dense), but in a coarse paper sheet, the image density tends to become low (thin). This is because the image density is greatly influenced by the degree of penetration of toner to a paper sheet at a fixing process in an image forming apparatus.
  • Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-189797 has proposed a technique enabling to set a different toner adhesion amount for the same kind of a sheet so as to realize different color reproduction in response to a user's request. Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-139561 has proposed a technique, at the time of using regular paper, to perform the highest density adjustment prepared for regular paper, and, at the time of using coated paper, to perform the highest density adjustment prepared for coated paper.
  • a customer engineer determines a highest density reference as highest density initial adjustment.
  • a user detects the density of an image density patch formed on a sheet by an image forming section with a density sensor, adjusts an image forming section so as to make the highest density coincide with a predetermined target density, and suppresses a characteristic change accompanying environmental fluctuation or the aged deterioration of a process unit.
  • a calibration chart is formed on a sheet by image formation, a highest density portion (solid patch) on the calibration chart is detected by a density sensor, and each section of the image forming apparatus is adjusted until it is confirmed that a detection result is the desired density (toner adhesion amount).
  • an electrostatically charging voltage or a developing bias voltage is changed so as to increase or decrease a toner adhesion amount.
  • the present invention has been achieved in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to realize an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and an image formation control method, in which a desired highest density can be adjusted appropriately without performing troublesome setting operations at the time of adjusting the highest density of an image forming apparatus.
  • An image forming apparatus to which one aspect of the present invention is reflected includes:
  • a memory section configured to memorize various kinds of information
  • an image forming section configured to form an image with toner on a sheet
  • control section configured to control formation of an image by the image forming section
  • the control section when the control section performs density adjustment by forming a density patch on a sheet with the image forming section, receiving the density detection result of the density patch, and adjusting the image forming section based on the density detection result such that a highest density with the toner coincides with a target density, the control section memorizes a target density-compliant sheet profile (a sheet profile corresponding to a target density) which is a sheet profile including sheet setting for a sheet used at the time of determining the target density and the target density in the memory section; and adjusts the image forming section based on the target density-compliant sheet profile and the target density such that the highest density coincides with the target density.
  • a target density-compliant sheet profile a sheet profile corresponding to a target density
  • the control section can perform two kinds of density adjustment of a highest density initial adjustment and a highest density automatic adjustment.
  • the target density is determined to make the highest density coincide with the target density.
  • the highest density automatic adjustment at an arbitrary time after having determined the target density in the highest density initial adjustment, a highest density of the density patch is detected by the density detecting section, and the image forming section is adjusted so as to make the highest density coincide with the target density.
  • the sheet setting in the target density-compliant sheet profile includes at least a kind of a sheet, a basis weight of the sheet, an offset value of a toner adhesion amount, and information on process adjustment.
  • the target density-compliant sheet profile is memorized in a predetermined memory position in the memory section, and at the time of adjusting the highest density, the target density is read out from the memory section, and the target density-compliant sheet profile is read out.
  • a sheet feeding section provided with a try for accommodating sheets is disposed, the sheet profile can be correlated with the tray in response to the setting of the tray, and at the time of adjusting the highest density, the target density-compliant sheet profile is used without being correlated with the tray.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the constitution of an image forming system of an embodiment.
  • FIG. 2 is a constitutional illustration showing the constitution of the image forming system of the embodiment.
  • FIG. 3 is a constitutional illustration showing the constitution of a main portion of the image forming system of the embodiment.
  • FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of settings in the embodiment.
  • FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.
  • FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment.
  • FIG. 7 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when an image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 8 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 9 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 10 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 11 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 12 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 13 is a flowchart which shows the operation of the embodiment.
  • FIG. 14 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 15 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 16 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 17 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 18 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 19 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of a screen when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment operates.
  • FIG. 1 shows a system constitution of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 shows an outer appearance of the constitution of the image forming system including the image forming apparatus 100 .
  • the image forming apparatus 100 is enabled to receive a printing job through networks, such as LAN (Local Area Network), from a not-shown personal computer (PC).
  • networks such as LAN (Local Area Network)
  • PC personal computer
  • the image forming apparatus 100 is constituted as a so-called digital color composite machine equipped with a copying function which reads a document optically and forms a duplicate image of the document on a recording sheet as well as a print outputting function at a printer section 150 mentioned later.
  • the image forming apparatus 100 includes a control section 101 , a sheet feeding section 105 , a conveying section 107 , a communicating section 110 , an operation displaying section 120 , a scanner section 130 , and a printer section 150 .
  • an intermediate apparatus 200 acting as a relay unit and a post-processing apparatus 300 are connected to.
  • the control section 101 is configured to control the image forming system as a whole control section.
  • the sheet feeding section 105 is configured to feed out sheets accommodated in a tray.
  • the conveying section 107 is configured to convey a sheet fed out from the tray in synchronization with the timing of image formation.
  • the communicating section 110 is configured to communicate with external devices.
  • the operation displaying section 120 is configured to receive operations from operators, such as a customer engineer and a user and to display various kinds of information items.
  • the scanner section 130 is configured to read documents.
  • the printer section 150 is configured to form an image on a sheet and to output the sheet.
  • the communicating section 110 includes a communication control section 111 and a communication IF section 112 .
  • the communication control section 111 is configured to control communication functions.
  • the communication IF section 112 is configured to communicate with external devices through a not-shown network. Examples of the external devices include PC and a density detector.
  • the operation displaying section 120 includes a function to display various setting screens, an operation screen, a job selecting screen, a job editing display, an output reservation job list screen, and the like; a function to display various kinds of guidance information, notices, warnings, and the like for an operator; a function to receive various kinds of settings, selecting operations, and editing operations from an operator; and a function to receive output instructions (a start instruction of image formation).
  • the operation displaying section 120 is constituted to include an operation display control section 121 , an operating section 122 , and a display section 123 .
  • the operation display control section 121 is configured to control the display section 123 and the operating section 122 .
  • the operating section 122 is constituted by a touch switch disposed on a screen of the display section 123 , and other switches.
  • the display section 123 is constituted by a liquid crystal display and the like.
  • the scanner section 130 includes a scanner control section 131 and a line image sensor 132 .
  • the scanner section 130 includes
  • the scanner control section 131 is configured to control a document reading function in the scanner section 130 .
  • a line image sensor 132 is adapted to read a document and to create image data.
  • the printer section 150 serves as an image forming section to form an image, and includes a printer control section 151 and a print engine 152 .
  • the printer control section 151 controls a printer function in the printer section 150 .
  • the print engine 152 is configured to form an image on a sheet by using a toner with an electrophotographic method.
  • the print engine 152 is adapted to expose an electrostatically-charged photoreceptor (image bearing member) to light beams corresponding to image data so as to form an electrostatic latent image by changing an electric potential on the surface of the photoreceptor, to develop the latent image with toner so as to form a toner image, and to transfer the toner image onto a sheet.
  • process conditions such as an electrostatically-charged potential, a developing bias electric potential, and a transfer potential, are adjusted, whereby the density (optical density) of an image on a sheet can be changed.
  • the control section 101 is configured to control the operations of the image forming apparatus 100 generally.
  • the control section 101 is constituted to include an image control CPU 1011 , a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) control section 1012 , a memory section 1013 to memorize various data, a hard disk device (HDD) 1014 , an image memory 1015 , a read-out processing section 1017 , a write-in processing section 1018 , and the like.
  • the image control CPU 1011 is configured to control the whole operations of the image forming apparatus 100 and the image forming system.
  • the memory section 1013 is constituted to include ROM 1013 a , RAM 1013 b , a nonvolatile memory 1013 c , and the like.
  • ROM 1013 a programs and various fixed data are memorized, and the image control CPU 1011 is adapted to operate in accordance with the programs stored in the ROM 1013 a .
  • the RAM 1013 b is used as a work memory to store various kinds of data temporarily at the time that the image control CPU 1011 executes a program.
  • the nonvolatile memory 1013 c is adapted to memorize user data, system data, and various settings, which are to be memorized after power OFF. A later-mentioned sheet profile is created and memorized in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c.
  • the DRAM control section 1012 is configured to perform timing control for reading, writing, and refreshing for the image memory 1015 composed of a dynamic RAM, and to perform timing control at the time that image data are compressed and stored in the image memory 1015 and that compressed image data are read out from the image memory 1015 and extended.
  • the HDD 1014 is adapted to accumulate print data received from external devices via the network and intermediate data created in the course of processing at an a RIP process.
  • the read-out processing section 1017 is adapted to apply expanding processing, mirror image processing, error diffusion processing, and the like to image data output from the scanner section 130 .
  • the write-in processing section 1018 is adapted to output signals to drive the printer section 150 at the timing in response to the action of the printer section 150 in accordance with image data which are read out from the image memory 1015 and extended.
  • each of the image control CPU 1011 , the communication control section 111 , the operation display control section 121 , the scanner control section 131 , and the printer control section 151 is constituted by a circuit which includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory) as a main portion, and is adapted to perform various kinds of control in accordance with the programs stored in the ROM.
  • a CPU Central Processing Unit
  • ROM Read Only Memory
  • RAM Random Access Memory
  • the mechanical constitution of the printer section 150 is a constitution known as an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographying system. For this reason, detailed description is omitted.
  • the print engine 152 included in the printer section 150 is configured to form an image on a sheet with monochromatic toner for a monochrome image and to form an image on a sheet with multiple kinds of toners different in color for a color image.
  • toner of black (K) is mainly used.
  • toners of yellow (Y), Magenta (M), cyanogen (C), and black (K) are mainly used.
  • the intermediate processing apparatus 200 is constituted to include an intermediate processing control section 201 to control each section of the intermediate processing apparatus 200 , an inverting section 210 to invert a sheet in the course of conveyance, and a density sensor 220 serving as a density detecting section to read the toner density of an image in the course of conveyance.
  • the intermediate processing control section 201 is adapted to communicate with the control section 101 , thereby controlling the actions of the intermediate processing apparatus 200 under the control of the control section 101 .
  • the density sensor 220 is adapted to irradiate a sheet in the course of conveyance with light with a predetermined wavelength from a light emitting element 221 , to receive the reflected light with a light receiving element 222 , and to detect a toner density on the sheet.
  • each of the light emitting device 221 and the light receiving element 222 is constituted to handle light beams with respective different wavelengths corresponding to multiple kinds of toners different in color.
  • the post-processing apparatus 300 is an apparatus provided with various kinds of post-processing functions, such as creasing a recording sheet, binding multiple stacked recording sheet with a staple, and making a hole with a punching device.
  • the post-processing apparatus 300 is constituted to include a post-processing control section 301 to control each section of the post-processing apparatus 300 , a post-processing section 310 to perform various kinds of post-processing items, and a discharging section 390 to discharge a sheet.
  • the post-processing control section 301 is adapted to communicate with the control section 101 , thereby controlling the actions of the post-processing apparatus 300 under the control of the control section 101 .
  • setting information about sheets used in image formation is registered as a sheet profile 1013 p on a condition of being correlated with a tray of the sheet feeding section 105 , and memorized in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c.
  • FIG. 4( a ) shows schematically a sheet profile 1013 p , a D-MAX adjustment value 1013 d 1 , and a target density 1013 d 2 , which are stored in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c.
  • FIG. 4( b ) shows schematically a situation of input and output of data to the nonvolatile memory 1013 c in a highest density initial adjustment, and description is given later at the time of describing operations.
  • FIG. 4( c ) shows schematically a situation of input and output of data to the nonvolatile memory 1013 c in a highest density automatic adjustment, and description is given later at the time of describing operations.
  • sheet profiles 1013 p are provided with respective different identification numbers, for example, “#1”, “#2”, “#3”, . . . , “#500”, etc., which are recognized by the control section 101 .
  • the sheet profile is a kind of setting information about sheets used in the image forming apparatus 100
  • the setting information items include the kind of a sheet, the name of a sheet, the basis weight of a sheet, the color of a sheet, the thickness of a sheet, punch holes, curl adjustment, air blow, an offset value of a toner adhesion amount, front-rear surface adjustment, . . . , process adjustment, and density adjustment for each tray.
  • the setting information items include at least the kind of a sheet, the basis weight of a sheet, an offset value of a toner adhesion amount, and information on process adjustment.
  • the target density-compliant sheet profile (a sheet profile corresponding to a target density) is a sheet profile including sheet settings about a sheet having been used at the time of determining a target density of a density in the highest density initial adjustment.
  • examples of the highest density adjustment of the image forming apparatus 100 include two kinds of adjustment such as an highest density initial adjustment and an highest density automatic adjustment.
  • the highest density initial adjustment is a kind of adjustment executed by a customer engineer at an initial stage such as at the time of installing an image forming apparatus 100 .
  • the highest density initial adjustment is performed in order to correct the peculiar characteristic of a process unit configured to execute processing at processes of electrostatically charging, exposing, developing, and transferring.
  • the highest density automatic adjustment is a kind of adjustment executed by a user at an arbitrary time after the highest density initial adjustment, for example, at the time of starting use of an image forming apparatus on a daily basis.
  • the highest density automatic adjustment is performed so as to detect a density of a density patch formed on a sheet by the printer section 150 with a density sensor and to adjust the printer section 150 to make the highest density coincide with a predetermined target density in order to suppress a characteristic change accompanying environmental fluctuation or the aged deterioration of a process unit.
  • an image is formed on a condition that the highest density in the printer section 150 is controlled by using a D-MAX adjustment value 1013 d 1 (refer to FIG. 4 ) in which the highest density initial adjustment value and the highest density automatic adjustment value are added together.
  • a customer engineer determines a sheet to be used in the highest density adjustment (Step S 11 in FIG. 5 ).
  • the same sheet as that used at the time that a customer engineer has determined a target density in the highest density initial adjustment is used also in the highest density automatic adjustment by a user.
  • a calibration chart is output on the determined sheet, and a patch with the highest density in the calibration chart is detected with the density sensor 220 or an external density sensor (Step S 12 in FIG. 5 ).
  • the control section 101 receives the detection result by the density sensor 220 or the external density sensor.
  • the highest density is initially adjusted based on the detection result of the calibration chart (Step S 13 in FIG. 5 ).
  • a target density with reference to the highest density is set up (step S 14 in FIG. 5 ), and the set-up target density and the used sheet setting (sheet profile) are memorized in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c (Step S 15 in FIG. 5 ).
  • the outline of the highest density automatic adjustment by a user is explained.
  • the sheet setting of the sheet used in the highest density initial adjustment is read out from the nonvolatile memory 1013 c so as to use the same sheet as that used at the time that the customer engineer has determined the target density in the highest density initial adjustment.
  • the target density of the highest density is read out from the nonvolatile memory 1013 c (Step S 21 in FIG. 5 ).
  • a sheet profile for the highest density adjustment and the target density of the highest density are read out from the nonvolatile memory 1013 c.
  • a calibration chart is output on the determined sheet, and a patch with the highest density in the calibration chart is detected with the density sensor 220 or the external density sensor (Step S 22 in FIG. 5 ).
  • the control section 101 receives the detection result by the density sensor 220 or the external density sensor.
  • the highest density is automatically adjusted so as to make the detection result in the calibration chart and the target density coincide with each other (Step S 23 in FIG. 5 ).
  • the customer engineer operates the operating section 122 while referring to the display screen 123 G 11 of the display section 123 , thereby operating “Service”, “Process adjustment”, “Drum characteristic adjustment”, and to “Highest density initial adjustment” (A 1 in FIG. 7 ) from the usual screen menu.
  • the control section 101 displays the display screen 123 G 12 ( FIG. 8 ) of the highest density initial adjustment on the display section 123 (Step S 101 in FIG. 6 ).
  • the highest density initial adjustment values are displayed with ten steps in plus and minus direction in each color of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.
  • Step S 102 in FIG. 6 whether the density detection in the highest density initial adjustment is performed with the density sensor 220 being a system internal device or the not-shown external device is selected by the customer engineer (Step S 102 in FIG. 6 ).
  • the display screen 123 G 13 in FIG. 9 is a screen to input an instruction to print a calibration chart in the highest density initial adjustment.
  • the customer engineer determines a sheet to be used in the highest density initial adjustment by depressing the tab (A 6 in FIG. 9 ) of “Sheet setting”, and then, depresses a start button disposed in the operating section 122 .
  • a calibration chart is printed on a predetermined sheet (Step S 103 in FIG. 6 ).
  • the sheet on which the calibration chart is printed is conveyed from the image forming apparatus 100 to the intermediate processing apparatus 200 , and then, in accordance with the control of the control section 101 and the control section 201 , the density of a patch included in the calibration chart is detected by the density sensor 220 (Step S 104 in FIG. 6 ).
  • the display screen 123 G 12 ( FIG. 8 ) is displayed on the display section 123 .
  • a highest density initial adjustment result confirming screen 123 G 14 (refer to FIG. 10 ) is displayed on the display section 123 .
  • the customer engineer checks the detection result of the calibration chart with the highest density initial adjustment result confirming screen 123 G 14 , and checks whether the desired highest density is obtained (Step S 105 in FIG. 6 ).
  • the customer engineer adjusts the highest density initial adjustment value of each color on the display screen 123 G 12 (Step S 106 in FIG. 6 ), and performs repeatedly the printing and the detecting (Step S 103 to in FIG. 6 ) of the above-mentioned calibration chart until it is judged that the desired highest density has been obtained.
  • “the highest density initial adjustment value” in the D-MAX adjustment value 1013 d 1 in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c is changed.
  • the display screen 123 G 12 ( FIG. 8 ) capable of adjusting the initial adjustment value is displayed on the display section 123 , and the above-mentioned operation can be repeated.
  • the target density (the target value of the highest density automatic adjustment) is registered as “a target density” 1013 d 2 in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c (Step S 111 in FIG. 6 ).
  • a sheet profile (a target density-compliant sheet profile) including the sheet setting of a sheet having been used in the highest density initial adjustment is registered as “a sheet profile #500” in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c (Step S 112 in FIG. 6 ).
  • a sheet profile #500 a target density-compliant sheet profile
  • FIG. 4( b ) shows schematically change and registration of the highest density initial adjustment value, registration of the target density, and registration of the target density-compliant sheet profile for the nonvolatile memory 1013 c in the highest density initial adjustment as described in the above.
  • the user operates the operating section 122 while referring to the display screen 123 G 21 of the display section 123 , and operates “Service”, “Process adjustment”, and to “Highest density automatic adjustment” (B 1 in FIG. 14 ) from the usual screen menu.
  • the control section 101 displays the item of “Highest density automatic adjustment” only in the process adjustment menu for a user. Further, in the case where the density detection cannot be performed by the density sensor 220 , the control section 101 makes the item of “Highest density automatic adjustment” to a condition of non-display or un-selectable. Furthermore, in the case where the target density to be registered in the highest density initial adjustment does not exist in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c , the highest density automatic adjustment cannot be performed. For this reason, the control section 101 makes the item of “Highest density automatic adjustment” to a condition of non-display or un-selectable.
  • the control section 101 displays the display screen 123 G 22 ( FIG. 15 ) of the highest density automatic adjustment on the display section 123 (Step S 101 in FIG. 13 ).
  • the target density output condition, the target density, etc. are displayed.
  • the highest density automatic adjustment has not been completed. Accordingly, the item of density after adjustment is displayed as “ - - - ” etc.
  • FIG. 16 shows the display screen 123 G 23 to input an instruction to print a calibration chart in the highest density automatic adjustment.
  • the control section 101 judges whether the tray correlated with the sheet profile (the target density-compliant sheet profile, the sheet profile registered at #500 in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c ) for the highest density automatic adjustment registered at #500 in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c exists in the sheet feeding section 105 (Step S 202 in FIG. 13 ).
  • a warning message such as “Please set sheets for the highest density automatic adjustment in a tray”, is displayed with a pop-up screen on the display screen 123 G 23 shown in FIG. 16 .
  • a start button disposed on the operating section 122 is made to a condition incapable of being operated, so that the user cannot start printing of a calibration chart.
  • the sheets of the highest density automatic adjustment are accommodated in either one of trays, in the case where such a tray is not correlated with the sheet profile registered at #500 in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c , it may be also possible for the user to correlate the sheet profile with the tray at this time.
  • the tray correlated with the sheet profile registered at #500 in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c exists in the sheet feeding section 105 (YES at Step S 203 in FIG. 13 ), or in the case where printing is made possible by the replenishment of sheets by the user in accordance with the above warning message or by the correlation of the sheet profile with a tray (YES at Step S 206 in FIG. 13 ), the tray correlated with the sheet profile registered at #500 in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c is selected by the control section 101 as a tray at the time of printing a calibration chart in the highest density automatic adjustment (Step S 204 in FIG. 13 ).
  • a start button disposed on the operating section 122 becomes an operational condition.
  • a user becomes a condition capable of instructing to start printing of a calibration chart.
  • the highest density automatic adjustment can be performed by putting sheets corresponding to the target density-compliant sheet profile by only the required number of sheets into a tray. With the operation in this way, it becomes possible to perform the highest density automatic adjustment without performing a troublesome setting operation for a tray.
  • Step S 207 in FIG. 13 the user depresses the start button disposed on the operating section 122 (Step S 207 in FIG. 13 ).
  • the start button is depressed in the condition of the display screen 123 G 23 shown in FIG. 16
  • the sheet profile registered at #500 in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c is applied to a predetermined sheet accommodated in the tray correlated with the sheet profile registered at #500 in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c , and the calibration chart is printed on the sheet by the printer section 150 (Step S 208 in FIG. 13 ).
  • the calibration chart is printed on the condition that the highest density in the printer section 150 is controlled by using the D-MAX adjustment value 1013 d 1 in which the highest density initial adjustment value and the previous highest density automatic adjustment value are added together.
  • the highest density automatic adjustment value has not yet been registered.
  • the calibration chart is printed on the condition that the highest density in the printer section 150 is controlled by using the D-MAX adjustment value of 1013 d 1 of only the highest density initial adjustment value.
  • the sheet on which the calibration chart is printed is conveyed from the image forming apparatus 100 to the intermediate processing apparatus 200 , in accordance with the control of the control section 101 and the control section 201 , the density of a patch included in the calibration chart is detected by the density sensor 220 (Step S 209 in FIG. 13 ).
  • the display screen 123 G 24 shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the display section 123 .
  • the display screen 123 GG 24 shown in FIG. 17 with the pop-up screen (B 4 in FIG. 17 ), the situation of printing the highest density automatic adjustment chart and detecting the density is clearly transmitted to a user.
  • a highest density automatic adjustment value is calculated so as to make the density detection value detected with the density sensor 220 coincide with the target density 1013 d 2 memorized in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c . That is, the highest density automatic adjustment value is calculated based on a difference between the density detection value detected with the density sensor 220 and the target density 1013 d 2 memorized in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c.
  • the highest density automatic adjustment value is registered in “highest density automatic adjustment value” in the D-MAX adjustment value 1013 d 1 in the nonvolatile memory 1013 c by the control of the control section 101 (Step S 210 in FIG. 13 ). Further, when the highest density automatic adjustment value is registered by the highest density automatic adjustment, as shown in FIG. 18 , the display screen 123 G 25 in the condition of displaying the message “The highest density automatic adjustment has been completed” is displayed on the display section 123 by the control of the control section 101 .
  • the above highest density automatic adjustment can be realized by printing a calibration chart on at least one sheet and performing a density detection with the density sensor 220 .
  • the printing of the calibration chart is performed for confirmation and the density is detected with the density sensor 220 , whereby it becomes possible to display the density detection result of the density sensor 220 as the density after the highest density automatic adjustment on the display screen 123 G 25 shown in FIG. 18 (B 5 in FIG. 18 ).
  • a display screen 123 G 26 (refer to FIG. 19 ) is displayed on the display section 123 .
  • the display screen 123 G 26 indicates the highest density after the adjustment by the above-mentioned highest density automatic adjustment as a list for every adjustment date.
  • the current screen returns to the display screen 123 G 25 shown in FIG. 18 which is a previous screen by one screen before the current screen.
  • the highest density adjustment is separated into the highest density initial adjustment by a customer engineer and the highest density automatic adjustment by a user.
  • the adjustment of the highest density is automatically performed by the printing of a calibration chart and the detection of density. Accordingly, it becomes possible to perform appropriate highest density automatic adjustment simply.
  • the highest density adjustment is separated into the highest density initial adjustment by a customer engineer and the highest density automatic adjustment by a user.
  • the adjustment of the highest density is automatically performed by the printing of a calibration chart and the detection of density. Accordingly, judgment and manual adjustment by a user are omitted. As a result, it becomes possible to perform appropriate highest density automatic adjustment simply.
  • the highest density initial adjustment it is possible to perform two kinds of density adjustment of the highest density initial adjustment to determine the target density of the highest density and the highest density automatic adjustment to adjust the highest density at an arbitrary time.
  • a target density-compliant sheet profile of the sheet used in the highest density initial adjustment and the target density of the highest density are memorized in the memory section, and the highest density automatic adjustment is performed based on the target density-compliant sheet profile and the target density.
  • the target density-compliant sheet profile is memorized in the condition of including the kind of a sheet, the basis weight of the sheet, an offset value of a toner adhesion amount, and information on process adjustment, whereby it becomes unnecessary to keep in mind the sheet used for the initial adjustment of the highest density and its sheet setting. With this, it becomes unnecessary to do a work to reproduce the sheet setting of the sheet used for the initial adjustment of the highest density as a sheet profile. As a result, it becomes possible to reduce the time for the work to reproduce the sheet setting. Further, it becomes possible to eliminate a fear that it may become impossible to adjust a desired highest density appropriately due to a mistake in the reproducing of the sheet setting. With this, it becomes possible to adjust a desired highest density appropriately, without performing troublesome setting operations.
  • the target density-compliant sheet profile is memorized at a predetermined memory position in the memory section. Then, at the time of adjusting a highest density, the target density-compliant sheet profile and the target density are read from the memory section. With this, it becomes possible to adjust a desired highest density appropriately, without performing troublesome setting operations.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Control Or Security For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)
US14/550,908 2013-11-29 2014-11-21 Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and image formation control method Active US9304468B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2013-248247 2013-11-29
JP2013248247A JP5904196B2 (ja) 2013-11-29 2013-11-29 画像形成装置及び画像形成システム並びに画像形成制御方法

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20150153697A1 US20150153697A1 (en) 2015-06-04
US9304468B2 true US9304468B2 (en) 2016-04-05

Family

ID=53265241

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US14/550,908 Active US9304468B2 (en) 2013-11-29 2014-11-21 Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and image formation control method

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US9304468B2 (ja)
JP (1) JP5904196B2 (ja)
CN (1) CN104683636B (ja)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20180081313A1 (en) * 2016-09-21 2018-03-22 Konica Minolta, Inc. Image formation device

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP6304167B2 (ja) * 2015-08-04 2018-04-04 コニカミノルタ株式会社 画像形成装置及び用紙判断方法
JP6992347B2 (ja) * 2017-09-15 2022-01-13 コニカミノルタ株式会社 画像形成装置、用紙情報算出プログラム及び用紙情報算出方法
JP2021016062A (ja) * 2019-07-11 2021-02-12 京セラドキュメントソリューションズ株式会社 画像形成装置、及び調整用プログラム

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7097270B2 (en) * 2001-09-27 2006-08-29 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Color image forming apparatus and method for controlling color image forming apparatus
JP2007272112A (ja) 2006-03-31 2007-10-18 Canon Inc 画像形成装置、画像形成方法及び記録媒体
JP2009139561A (ja) 2007-12-05 2009-06-25 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 画像形成装置
US20120106994A1 (en) * 2010-10-28 2012-05-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Recording-material identifying apparatus and image forming apparatus
JP2012189797A (ja) 2011-03-10 2012-10-04 Konica Minolta Business Technologies Inc 画像形成装置
US8368903B2 (en) * 2008-12-10 2013-02-05 Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. Image forming apparatus
US20130216244A1 (en) * 2012-02-16 2013-08-22 Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. Image forming apparatus

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7097270B2 (en) * 2001-09-27 2006-08-29 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Color image forming apparatus and method for controlling color image forming apparatus
JP2007272112A (ja) 2006-03-31 2007-10-18 Canon Inc 画像形成装置、画像形成方法及び記録媒体
US7619792B2 (en) 2006-03-31 2009-11-17 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus, image forming method
US7903287B2 (en) 2006-03-31 2011-03-08 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus, image forming method
JP2009139561A (ja) 2007-12-05 2009-06-25 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 画像形成装置
US8368903B2 (en) * 2008-12-10 2013-02-05 Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. Image forming apparatus
US20120106994A1 (en) * 2010-10-28 2012-05-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Recording-material identifying apparatus and image forming apparatus
JP2012189797A (ja) 2011-03-10 2012-10-04 Konica Minolta Business Technologies Inc 画像形成装置
US20130216244A1 (en) * 2012-02-16 2013-08-22 Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. Image forming apparatus
JP2013167809A (ja) 2012-02-16 2013-08-29 Konica Minolta Inc 画像形成装置

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Japanese Office Action (and English translation thereof) dated Dec. 1, 2015, issued in counterpart Japanese Application No. 2013-248247.

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20180081313A1 (en) * 2016-09-21 2018-03-22 Konica Minolta, Inc. Image formation device
US10209660B2 (en) * 2016-09-21 2019-02-19 Konica Minolta, Inc. Image formation device with toner increase mode

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2015106059A (ja) 2015-06-08
JP5904196B2 (ja) 2016-04-13
CN104683636B (zh) 2019-03-29
US20150153697A1 (en) 2015-06-04
CN104683636A (zh) 2015-06-03

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
JP4924591B2 (ja) 画像形成装置
US9304468B2 (en) Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and image formation control method
US10397421B2 (en) Image forming device, image forming system, and computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing control program executed by computer for controlling additional printing
JP4720920B2 (ja) 画像形成装置
US8928943B2 (en) Image processing apparatus and image processing method
US10498929B2 (en) Apparatus for reading image formed on sheet either fed from sheet feeder or placed on platen
US10091365B2 (en) Image formation apparatus, image formation system and management apparatus configured to perform image quality verification and adjustment
JP2018097213A (ja) 画像形成装置、情報処理装置、カール検出装置およびプログラム
JP2010217742A (ja) 画像形成装置
EP2555059A2 (en) Adjustment of image density in image forming apparatus
JP6492751B2 (ja) 画像形成装置および画像形成方法
EP3422108A1 (en) Image forming apparatus and conveyance control method
US7843601B2 (en) Method for forming a color image
JP5217681B2 (ja) 画像形成装置
JP4702276B2 (ja) 画像形成装置及びその制御方法
JP2010262243A (ja) 画像形成装置
JP7108371B2 (ja) 画像形成装置
US11494133B2 (en) Image forming system including image forming apparatus configured to output voice guidance to a user during transfer of a job, and method for controlling image forming apparatus
JP2019151041A (ja) 画像形成装置、シート種類判別方法、およびコンピュータプログラム
JP6922377B2 (ja) 画像形成装置および搬送制御方法
US20210067647A1 (en) Image forming apparatus and program
US20220201158A1 (en) Apparatus, method, and non-transitory recording medium
US20200364007A1 (en) Image forming device, control method of image forming device, and program
JP6922378B2 (ja) 画像形成装置および搬送制御方法
JP6922376B2 (ja) 画像形成装置および搬送制御方法

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: KONICA MINOLTA, INC., JAPAN

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MIYAZAKI, KEN;REEL/FRAME:034241/0660

Effective date: 20141113

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 4TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1551); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 4

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1552); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 8